England produced a dazzling second-half performance to crush the Republic of Ireland 5-0 in UEFA Nations League Group B2, sealing promotion to League A and prolonging their unbeaten record against their opponents in head-to-head matches without conceding a single goal.
After a cagey first half with no shots on target, the match burst into life six minutes into the second half as Harry Kane’s pinpoint pass found Jude Bellingham, who was brought down in the box by Liam Scales. Kane converted the penalty with ease while Scales saw a second yellow card, leaving Ireland down to 10 men.
England capitalized on their advantage, with Anthony Gordon firing home his first international goal following a defensive mix-up. Moments later, Conor Gallagher doubled the lead, finishing from Marc Guehi’s flick-on. Substitute Jarrod Bowen wasted no time adding a fourth, scoring just seconds after entering the pitch off a Bellingham assist.
The final blow came when Jude Bellingham provided an exquisite cross to find the head of debutant Taylor Harwood-Bellis, rounding off the match and sealing a dominant win for England. Interim manager Lee Carsley signed off with five wins in six matches as England secured their spot in League A.
In contrast, Ireland face a relegation play-off in what has been a frustrating campaign with two defeats in their last three matches.
